Don’t worry, you don’t need to break out your rain poncho. No one is inviting you to an event where people will be slinging wine in your general direction. I am referring to a real wine slinger, but more along the lines of a Texas wine writer slinging good ole tales about the story of Texas wine, and I mean the whole story.

Russell Kane, Courtesy Vintagetexas.com

Dr. Russell Kane is a long time Texas wine chronicler whose eloquent prose, reviews, and experiences of Texas wine have been catalogued on his blog site VintageTexas.com for about a decade. He’s been called Dr. Kane, the Wine Czar of Texas (for his posting on ten proclamations for the Texas wine industry), and believe it or not, he’s known as “Doc Russ, Texas Wineslinger.” It’s a name given to him by notable Australian wine writer Philip White a few years ago after Kane wrote about the similarities between Texas High Plains soils and Australian Coonawarra soils. When the post reached its way Down Under, White couldn’t help but comment on Kane’s “Coonawarra envy” and coined Kane as the Texas Wineslinger. It’s a name that Kane obviously seemed to like. So much so that he’s releasing his new book this month with the title, “The Wineslinger Chronicles: Texas On The Vine” through Texas Tech University Press. ($29.95 or $19.95 as an e-book. It is available at Barnes and Noble, among other outlets, and signed copies can be purchased online here.)

In his chronicles, Kane sets out on a viticultural excursion to dispel the history, truth and future of Texas wine through a series of grape grower, vintner, winery stories as well as his own personal experiences along the way. From the Spanish missionaries who planted their own Texas vineyards hundreds of year ago, to the next generation of grape growers who are fresh out of college, Kane takes us on a journey to define Texas Terroir. He traipsed more than 5,000 miles around the far reaches of the state from Dell City outside of El Paso through the Llano Estacado Winery’s Mont Sec vineyards to the Blanc du Bois and bluebonnet belt near Brenham. The result is a masterful weaving of great storytelling that reveals the heart and tenacity that only grape growers and vintners from Texas could possess.

“In my search to define Texas Terroir, I’ve often stopped to listen to the voices of the spirits that linger in the rustle of tall grass, the gush of spring water on slab limestone, or the rush of windblown sandy soil. These are the voices that tell of the land’s history, its potential, and its past and future trials that test the will of those who try to harvest its bounty. I’ve also listened to the unspoken words when a grower contemplates the extent of his harvest lost to a late-spring freeze or a summer hailstorm. These are the words that define the grit and gumption of the evolving Texas wine experience.”

Courtesy Vintagetexas.com

His journey has helped him forge many lifelong friendships with Texas’ wine community that will give him many stories to tell in years to come. His commitment to seeing the Texas wine industry succeed is evident throughout his book, yet he is also discerning in admitting that he was surprised to discover that Texas wine still has a long way to go. His work and dedication has encouraged many to take note of what we can expect to see from Texas wine. In fact, you can thank“Doc Kane, Texas Wineslinger” for planting the idea to have me delve into the world of Texas wine for Texas Monthly. Read Kane’s chronicles and you’ll understand why place is so important in tasting wine from anywhere in the world.

Kane will officially debut his book at the Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association Conference this February 16-18 in San Marcos. You can also catch him at this spring’s Austin Food and Wine Festival where he will be leading a panel of top Texas Sommeliers on a discussion of what else? Texas wine.

More reviews on The Texas Wineslinger Chronicles:

Houston Chronicle, Dale Robertson: Book Explores Strength of Texas Vintners

The Wine Curmudgeon, Jeff Siegel: Book review: The Wineslinger Chronicles: Texas on the Vine

Houston Press, Jeremy Parzen: Must Like Texas Wine

- Jessica Dupuy